1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper sheet dispenser such as an automatic cash vending machine or a cash changing machine, and more particularly to a paper sheet storage box for use with the paper sheet dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the past ten years, an increasing number of paper sheet dispensers such as automatic cash vending machines or money changing machines have been installed at banks etc. Such paper sheet dispensers are made responsive to the command of a customer to dispense or release one by one a required number of sheets of paper currency from a storage box which is removably inserted into the body of the paper sheet dispenser. The paper currency thus released is discharged to a preset place or to the outlet of the dispenser. This dispenser is generally placed in front of the counter of a bank or outside of the bank and connected in an on-line manner with a control center. Therefore, the paper sheet storage box is charged in advance with a preset stock of paper currency to be vended and then is carried to and set in the paper sheet dispenser. On the other hand, in order to prevent the paper current from being stolen or taken out from the storage box without permission while this box is being transported, it is necessary that the box act as a kind of safe. For this purpose, the paper sheet storage box has its front cover automatically locked to close its outlet for the paper currency when it is taken out of the body of the paper sheet dispenser, and the front cover is opened only when the storage box is set in the dispenser.
In order to open and close the front cover, however, this kind of the paper sheet storage box conventionally has its front cover opening and closing rollers moved along the cam forming lands which are formed on the side walls inside of the body of the paper sheet dispenser. As a result, when the storage box is pulled out of the dispenser body to close the front cover, the opening and closing rollers are spaced to some extent from the cam grooves so that the front cover fails to be reliably locked in close contact with the body of the storage box, thus leaving a clearance corresponding to that spacing. As a result, in the conventional storage box, the retaining member of the locking mechanism may fail to be smoothly retained by the retaining pawl which operates to lock the front cover and there may remain an amount of play corresponding to the clearance of the front cover.